Hitch device



July 25, 1933 c. s. sTRANDLuND i 1,919,915

HITCH DEVICE Filed oct. 29, 1928 NTT/figs@ LQ-HJW MQW.

4 M I mg i j Patented July Z5, 19331 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlcE-y i CARL GQSTRANDLUND, or IvroLINn, ILLINOIS, Assienon` 'ro `:Danieli e COMPANY, or`

MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION F ILLINOIS :HITCII DEVICE `Applicatimr11u- 1 oetoberrza 192s. serial No. 315,679.

"Thisinvention relates to devices such as are used for hitching a load to `be drawn to the drawing element, and it has for its principal object to provide a hitch device that will remain `operative under normal operating conditions, but will automatically release the drawing elementV from Vthe `load shouldr the latter become abnormally great due to its encountering some unusual ob,- stacl'e, thereby minimizing thev danger of breakage. l In the drawing I have shown -my invention embodied in a hitch device designed more particularly for usein connecting agricultural implements such as plows,

planters, harvesters, &c., or other earth-working machinery, fwith a draft elementv such as atractor orteam, Abut it should be understood that it may be embodied in hitch den vicesdesigned for a variety of other uses,

i to vary the height ofthe hitch; and one that maybe reversed or turned end for end, so that either end may be connected either to the 'drawing element or to the load, as desired.` I accomplish these objects as illustrated inthe accompanying drawing and new isset forth" in the claims.- 1

A In the drawing,n l "1 Fig.` 1 is side elevation of a hitch device hereinafter described.v What I regard as p `embodying my improvements;

Flg' 2 1S a longltudmal Vertlcal Sectlol'1-anut 22 that abuts against the outer face thereof with some parts in elevation; A JFigris 'aview similar to Fig. 2 showing the position" `of the parts under abnormal loadV resistance and just before theupoint of release is reached; i j Figmlis a vertical cross-section on line 4-^4 of Fig. 1;"and` Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section on line'-ofiFig. l. -f i In the design shownvmyfimproved hitch comprises a frame or bracketcomposed of a comparatively narrow metal bar bent back upon itself between its ends to form a rec- Aspaced therefrom far enough to admit a compression spring 9 between said bars.

The upper `and lower bars 7, 8 are joined atone enc by an upright bar 10 which con- ,stitutes what may be termed the inner end wallof the pocket. AThe free end portion of the lower bar 8 isbent toward the bar 7 as shown at 11, to bring the extreme end of the bar 8 closer to the corresponding end of the upperybar 7, these two end portions being parallel as shown at 12, 13. Bolts 2 and that the" claims hereinafter made are 14, 15, connect these parallel end portions of the two barsand serve .as a means of attachment of the hitch device `either to the load or to thedrawing element, 'as may be preferred.

Mounted to slide longitudinally of the pocket 6 between `the bars `7, 8 is a trans verse plate 16, which is somewhat wider than sa-idbars, and hasits4 upper and lower margins notched to receive said bars. The vertical diameter of' this' plate at its end tance between the bars 7,18 so that, when notched, shoulders 17, 18` are provided that overlap the sidesofsaid bars and hold the plate` against lateral displacement. The platel` is provided with a central hole 19 which alines with a hole 20 in the end wall 10, and through these holes extends a draft member, preferably in the form of a bolt 21, upon the inner end of which is screwed of the plate 16. This nut is normally locked against rotation by a locking plate 23,.as` shown in Fig. `5, thatfts upon thebolt 19V i between the nut 22 and the bolt 16, and has one end 24 that "may be bent over the side portions is somewhat greater than the disj margin of the plate 16'and another end 25 that may befbent over a side face of the nut plate 23 prevent rotation of the nutron the bolt.

The opposite end of the bolt 21 is provided with a head 26 that is adapted to bear against the outer face of the end wall 10, as best shown in Fig. 2. Pivotally connected with this head by a pivot 27 is a releasable bitching connection in the form of a curved arm 28, preferably'composed of two similar flat bars placed side by side and secured together by rivets 29. The ends of these bars that are attached to the head 26 are bent away from each other far enough to overlap the sides of the head, so that they embrace it at the point where they are connected to it by the pivot 27, thus providing a stronglaterally rigid connection between these members.

The free end of the arm 28 is adapted to be swung back over the top bar 7 into proximity thereto, as rshown in Figs. 1` and 2, and to be engaged by a holding` device or keeper in the form of a sleeve 30 that is slidably mounted on said top bar and is adapted to be held in different positions of adjustment thereon by a pin 31. As plainly shown in Fig. 2, saidV pin extends down through the sleeve 30 near one end thereof and into one or another of several holes 32 provided in the top bar 7, thereby locking the sleeve againstendwise movement on said bar. A spring 33 mounted on the pin 31 within the sleeve 30 bears against a cross-pin 34 in the pin 31 and tends to move said pin down into the hole 32 with which it registers. The sleeve 31 is held against lateral displacement on the bar 7 by means of lips 35 that depends at its opposite sides and bear against the side margins of the bar 7, said lips being provided with inwardly projecting lugs 36 that extend under the margins of said bar.

By this means the sleeve or keeper 30 is held against lateral movement with respect to the bar 7, but when the pin31 is out of operative position, may be moved endwise therealong. The bore of the sleeve 30 is such that it is adapted to receive the free end of the arm 28 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and obviously by moving said arm endwise with respect to the sleeve it may be released therefrom and permitted to swing around in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 to 3.

It will be noted that as the spring 9 bears at one end against the end wall 10 of the pocket 6 and at the other end against the plate 16, it tends to hold the head 26 of the draft bolt 21 against the outer face of the end wall 10, and consequently-to hold the free end of the arm 28 in engagement with the sleeve 30, and that by apply-ing force either to the frame or to the draft bar m such direction as to compress the spring 9, the arm 28 may be moved out of engagement with the sleeve 30, thereby releasing it and permitting it to swing over out of operative position.

In the drawing the frame is represented as being connected to the load, indicated by the dotted lines 37, and the arm 28 is represented as being hooked through a clevis 38 by which it is connected to the draw bar of a tractor or to the whilfletrees of a team, but this arrangement may be reversed if desired. Under normal operating conditions the resistance of the load compresses the spring 9 to some extent and moves the free end of the releasable hitch connection or arm 28 slightvly toward'the point at which it will release or trip, but not far enough to prevent its being properly held in 'operative position by the holding device or sleeve 30.

If, however, the resistance of the load should increase abnormally,-for example, if o' in plowing the plow should strike a serious obstaele,the spring 9 will be compressed suiiiciently to permit the arm 28 to move out of the sleeve 30, whereupon it will trip over away from the frame and permit the clevis to slip off, thereby releasing the drawing element from the load. y c

The extent of movement of the two principal members of the hitch device with respect to each other necessary to release the L arm 28 may be varied by shifting the position of the sleeve 30 lengthwise of the bar 7, as provided for by the pin 31 and the holes 32, and-the tension of the spring 9 may be adjusted by first releasing the arm 28 and then rotating the bolt 21 to change the position of the nut 22 upon it, and thereby vary the effective length of the pocket 6. Adjusting the tension of the spring 9 varies the force necessary to release the arm 28 without changing the extentr to which said arm projects into the sleeve 30, and varying the position of said sleeve on the bar 7 varies the extent of movement of the parts necessary to effect the release of the arm 28, and in that way varies the amount of force necessary to bring about that result.

The hitch device may be arranged either as shown in the drawing, with the bar 7 on top, or it may be reversed so that said bar is at the bottom, in which case the spring 33 functions to hold the pin 31 in operative position against the action of gravity. This reversal ofthe hitch device provides for adjusting the height of the hitch, since in the one case the arm 28 lies above the frame and in the other case it lies below it.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the frame and the draft bolt 21 constitute associated members that are adapted to be connected respectively with a drawing element and with the load, and are capable of being moved relatively to each other by the force of the draft, such movement being resisted by the spring 9; also y that the bitching connection, or arm 218, and theholding member, or sleeve 30, constitute a trip device, one part of which is connected with the frame and the other part With the draft bolt, and that such trip device comprises inter-engaging parts thatare movable with respect toeach other into disengaging position by abnormal movement of the inembers of the hitch device under the force of the draft. ,While in the illustrated construction the holding member `or sleeve`30 is mounted on the frame and is normally held against movement thereon, Whilethe hitch-` ing connection or arm 28 is coiiiiectedwvith the draft bolt 21 to move therevv1th,my

invention, generically considered, includes` a reversal of this arrangement, since obviously the arm 28, or its equivalent, could be connected with the frame, and theholding device 30 `couldl Vbe connected with the'draft bolt 21 to move therewith into or out of cooperative relation to the hitching "nected With the inner end of said member and adapted to hold the resilient meansV y `thereon and in abutting engagement With `in the art.-

connection. Various other modifications may also be made Within the scope of my,

invention as defined by the y appended claims, as Will be apparent to those skilled y Having thusdescribed the embodiment of my invention illustrated What I claim is:

` l. A hitch device comprisingv y sided U-shaped frame formed of strap stock,V

a draft member extending'through one end of said .frame and longitudinally betweenv the extended legs thereof, resilient means mounted on said member, guide means consaid frame, said guideV meanscomprising a substantially" rectangular Washer slidably engaging the legs of said frame and extending .outwardly of the open sides thereof,

said Washer having oppositely related` pro-` jections on the extended portions thereof for overlapping and engaging the side edges of said frame legs to guide said member, a

`hitchzconnection pivotally connected "With the outer end of `said member and adapted to swing over the frame, and a holding device adjustably mounted on one of the frame l legs and adapted to engage` one end of said in the drawing,

arm to hold the same operative position,

said arm being movable out of engagement with said holding device by excessive longitudinal movement of said member under the force `of the draft. p

`2. The combination with a releasable" hitch device including a frame having openings therein, spring means carried thereby,`

and an armpivotall'y supported by said spring means, of a holding device in the form of a sleeve slidably mounted Wholly upon one side of said frame and adapted to engageone end of said arm to hold the same in operative position, said arm being movable out of engagement with said sleeve by excessive draft force, a locking pin extend` ing transversely through said sleeve and adapted to engage any one of the openings in said frame for holding said sleeve in fixed relation to said frame, said pin having stop means Wholly confined Within said sleeve and `comprising a cross-pin adaptedto engage the inner Wall of the sleeve for'limit-` ing the movement of saidv locking pin, and

a spring disposed Within the sleeve and about said locking pin and acting between the inner Wall of said sleeve and said stop means for normally holding said locking pin Ain operative position.,`

3. The combination with `a releasable hitch device including a-.frame, spring means carried thereby, and an armpivotally connected with said spring means, cfa holding device adjustably mounted upon the frame and adapted to engage one end'of said arm to hold the same inoperative position, said holding device comprising a sleeve member to receive the end of the arm and a Hat base portion contacting throughout its Width `vvith one face of said'frame, projections ex- `With Lthe holding device by excessive longitudinal movement under an excessive draft force.

CARL G. STRANDLUND. i 

